Written Answers Tuesday 25 November 2008

Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of alcohol-related hospital admissions was repeat admissions in the Lothians region in each of the last five years.

Shona Robison: Information on the number of discharges and percentage of repeat discharges 1 from general acute hospitals 2 with an alcohol-related diagnosis 3 ; treated in NHS Lothian between 2002-03 and 2006-07 is in the following table. Information is collected on discharges and not admissions:

  

 
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 Total number of discharges
 5,163
 5,071
 5,230
 5,423
 6,097


 Readmissions (%)
 28%
 26%
 25%
 27%
 31%



  Notes:

  1. A repeat discharge is defined as a discharge with an alcohol-related diagnosis for a patient who has previously been discharged from hospital with such a diagnosis earlier in the same year. The total includes multiple repeat discharges for patients with more than two discharges in one year.

  2. Excludes psychiatric hospitals and maternity hospitals. Transfers are also excluded. Includes Scottish residents only.

  3. Caution is necessary when interpreting these figures. The recording of alcohol misuse may vary from hospital to hospital. Where alcohol misuse is suspected but unconfirmed it may not be recorded by the hospital.

Further and Higher Education

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is provided to colleges of further and higher education for the provision of personal learning assistants.

Fiona Hyslop: There is a range of both institutional and individual financial support packages available to students studying within Scotland depending on whether the student is on a further or higher education course.

  Colleges receive block grants for teaching which are not split into funding for specific courses or assistance. In 2008-09, the main teaching allocation totalled £392 million. In addition to funding for teaching the courses, colleges receive funds to support their students. This includes a bursary allocation which can be used to meet the additional support needs of students to assist them accessing and participating in college. This part of the bursary allowance is called the Additional Support Needs for Learning Allowance and is not subject to a means test. These funds can be used by the student (or on the student's behalf) to fund a personal learning assistant or to pay for assistive technology. In 2008-09, the bursary allocation totalled £58 million.

  The Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) is an non income assessed allowance intended to cover the extra costs or expenses a student may have while undertaking a higher education course which arises because of their disability. In 2007-08, 3,625 students were in receipt of DSA payments totalling £8.1 million. This is an increase of 7.1% in terms of numbers and 6.7% in terms of amounts paid out since 2006-07. As part of the DSA, students can receive support from a non-medical personal helper (NMPH), for example a dyslexia specialist support worker. From academic year, 2008-09, eligible students that require the assistance of a NMPH will benefit from an increased allowance of up to £20,000.

Housing

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to supporting roof insulation measures, such as insulation in loft spaces with less than 1.2 metres headroom or insulation where both roof and ceiling slope, beyond the traditional loft insulation already supported by the Warm Deal grant.

Stewart Maxwell: The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing announced to the Parliament on 19 November 2008 that the Scottish Government intend to replace the Warm Deal and Central Heating Programmes with an integrated energy assistance package from April 2009, as recommended by the Fuel Poverty Forum. Stage 4 of the package, for those on low incomes who live in homes with very poor energy efficiency, will offer insulation measures for hard to treat homes, beyond those currently included in Warm Deal. The technical specification of the individual measures to be included will be established with input from expert stakeholders. This will include consideration of the options for non-standard roof insulation.

Life Expectancy

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many healthy years after the age of 50 (a) men and (b) women in Scotland can expect and what comparable information it has for (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) each EU member state and (iii) each OECD country.

Nicola Sturgeon: (i) The most recent comparable figures for the UK are provided by ONS, for 2004 and are shown in the following table.

  At birth, and at 65 years of age, Scottish men and women have lower life expectancies, healthy life expectancies and disability-free life expectancies than people in the rest of the UK.

  From birth, and over the age of 50, men and women can typically expect to live " in good health" for 15 and 19 years respectively, or "free of disability" for 11 and 13 years for men and women respectively.

  From age 65, men and women can typically expect to live "in good health" for around 11 and 14 years respectively and around nine and 10 years "free of disability".

  Table 1 Life Expectancy, Healthy Life Expectancy (HLE) and disability-Free Life Expectancy (DFLE) at Birth and Age 65: by Country and Sex, 2004

  

 Country
 Life Expectancy Years
 Healthy Life Expectancy Years
 Disability-Free Life Expectancy Years


 At birth
 
 
 


 Males UK
 76.6
 67.9
 62.3


 England
 76.9
 68.3
 62.6


 Wales
 76.3
 66.5*
 60.6*


 Scotland
 74.2
 65.6*
 61.0*


 Northern Ireland
 76
 66.8*
 59.7*


 Females UK
 81
 70.3
 63.9


 England
 81.2
 70.6
 64.2


 Wales
 80.7
 68.3*
 62.2*


 Scotland
 79.3
 69.6
 63.4


 Northern Ireland
 80.8
 68.4*
 60.3*


 At age 65
 
 
 


 Males UK
 16.6
 12.5
 9.9


 England
 16.8
 12.7
 10.1


 Wales
 16.4
 11.8
 9.3


 Scotland
 15.5
 11.5*
 9.3


 Northern Ireland
 16.4
 12.8
 8.8*


 Females UK
 19.4
 14.5
 10.7


 England
 19.6
 14.6
 10.8


 Wales
 19.2
 13.2*
 9.6


 Scotland
 18.4
 13.9
 10.5


 Northern Ireland
 19.3
 13.6*
 8.7*



  Source ONS http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=12964.

  (ii) and (iii) Comparable EU and OECD figures on health expectancies are not available, mainly due to differences in methods used to calculate HLE and DFLE.

Mental Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to further invest in direct research on (a) attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, (b) dyspraxia, (c) Tourette’s syndrome and (d) deficit in attention, motor control and perception.

Shona Robison: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Government Health Directorates has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. The CSO primarily responds to requests for funding research proposals initiated by the research community in Scotland. The CSO does not therefore have any specific plans for further investment in research on these conditions but would welcome research proposals in these areas which would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.

NHS 24

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the additional costs would be of devolving the functions of NHS 24 to territorial NHS boards.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has no plans to devolve the functions of NHS 24 to territorial NHS boards. On that basis, such costing information is not held.

  However, the Scottish Government is committed to the development of local NHS 24 services across Scotland in support of its national infrastructure. In addition to the three regional centres (Clydebank in the West, South Queensferry in the East, and Aberdeen in the North), five local centres in Inverness, Dundee, East Kilbride, Kilmarnock and Dumfries were established in late 2005. The aim was to build NHS 24 capacity, aid the recruitment of specialist nurses and improve the performance of the NHS 24 service. These centres supported the development of closer strategic relationships with the host territorial health boards. They also delivered increased positive partner feedback as well as patient satisfaction from local board areas through improved service delivery. They have afforded the opportunity for flexible working and improved work life balance for the nursing workforce within those localities.

  All these sites have resilient telephony and IT links and operate as part of an integrated national network. The telephony design is aimed at ensuring patient calls are answered at their closest regional centre and if a consultation with a clinician is required the call is routed to their designated local centre. However in the case of serious and urgent calls if a local nurse is unavailable within a pre-determined timescale, the call will automatically look for the first available nurse to ensure patient safety is maintained at all times.

  The Better Health, Better Care action plan tasked NHS 24 to work towards establishing local services within all mainland health board areas. The following table provides details of the current progress against this action.

  

 Health Board Area
 Details of Local Service


 NHS Highland
 Local Centre launched in 2005, based in Inverness


 NHS Grampian
 Service delivered from Regional Centre, based in Aberdeen


 NHS Tayside
 Local Centre launched in 2005, based in Dundee


 NHS Lanarkshire
 Local Centre launched in 2005, based in East Kilbride


 NHS Ayrshire and Arran
 Local Centre launched in 2005, based in Kilmarnock


 NHS Dumfries and Galloway
 Local Centre launched in 2005, based in Dumfries


 NHS Fife
 Emergency Dental Service launched in 2007, based in Glenrothes


 NHS Lothian
 Dedicated nursing resource located in South Queensferry Regional Centre since May 2006


 NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 Local centre opened in June 2008, located at Caledonia House, Cardonald


 NHS Borders
 Local service within Melrose General Hospital, to open by end 2008 


 NHS Forth Valley
 Currently in discussion for the establishment of a local centre provisionally planned for Falkirk, with opportunities for further development in other community hospitals or health settings.

People with Learning Difficulties

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to further invest in medical and statistical research into learning difficulties.

Shona Robison: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Government Health Directorates has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and healthcare needs in Scotland. CSO primarily responds to requests for funding research proposals initiated by the research community in Scotland. CSO does not therefore, have any specific plans for further investment in research into learning difficulties but would welcome research proposals into this area which would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.

Rail Network

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is committed to the Aberdeen Crossrail project, to deliver a service between Stonehaven and Inverurie with a 15-minute frequency.

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish ministers are currently considering the emerging findings from the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR). The review will set out national investment priorities for 2012 to 2022. The Aberdeen Urban Network is being considered as part of this process. An announcement is expected later in the year which sets out recommendations on a portfolio of land based transport proposals that will contribute to the government’s purpose of increasing sustainable economic growth.

Rail Network

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects a regular rail service to be in place between Stonehaven and Inverurie with a 15-minute frequency.

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish ministers are currently considering the emerging findings from the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR). The review will set out national investment priorities for 2012 to 2022. The Aberdeen Urban Network, is being considered as part of this process. An announcement is expected later in the year which sets out recommendations on a portfolio of land based transport proposals that will contribute to the government’s purpose of increasing sustainable economic growth.

Rail Network

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has provided for the Aberdeen Crossrail project in the current financial year.

Stewart Stevenson: None.

Rail Network

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when representatives of Transport Scotland last met representatives of NESTRANS and whether the Aberdeen Crossrail project was discussed on that occasion.

Stewart Stevenson: The Chief Executive of Transport Scotland met with representatives of NESTRANS on 15 August 2008 to discuss a number of issues, including the Aberdeen Crossrail proposal.

Rail Network

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change has held with the chair of NESTRANS on the Aberdeen Crossrail project.

Stewart Stevenson: The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change has not held discussions with the Chair of NESTRANS on the Aberdeen Crossrail project.

Rail Network

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with Network Rail on the Aberdeen Crossrail project.

Stewart Stevenson: There have been no recent discussions between the Scottish Executive and Network Rail on Aberdeen Crossrail. However, I can confirm that Network Rail had some involvement in the development of the feasibility studies for this project.

Rail Network

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the reopening of Kintore and Newtonhill railway stations as part of the Aberdeen Crossrail project.

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it envisages new stations being opened between Inverurie, Aberdeen and Stonehaven as part of the Aberdeen Crossrail project.

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish ministers are currently considering the emerging findings from the Strategic Transport Projects Review. The review will set out national investment priorities for 2012 to 2022. The Aberdeen Urban Network, is being considered as part of this process. An announcement is expected later in the year which sets out recommendations on a portfolio of land based transport proposals that will contribute to the Scottish Government’s purpose of increasing sustainable economic growth.

Roads

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it next intends to review the national system of routes for through traffic in terms of section 5(2) of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-2872 on 23 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Schools

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its press release of 9 November 2008 on pupils moving into new classrooms, how many of the 20 schools referred to had funding approved after May 2007.

Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government does not have comprehensive records of when local authorities approve the funding for all schools projects.

Social Services

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to develop the personalisation or self-directed support agenda.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is fully committed to the personalisation agenda, including the most radical aspect of personalisation, self-directed support.

  Personalisation of services has been a component of public sector reform and is a key aspiration of the Changing Lives review of social work services. Personalisation is a theme that features in all the work being done by the five change programmes and the products to be produced by those groups over the next six months or so. This includes a supported self-evaluation guide being developed with SWIA and local authorities as well as a training toolkit being developed to support the notion of citizen leadership described by the Changing Lives User and Carer Forum.

  In terms of self-directed support, a reference group is currently considering a draft strategy to radically increase the uptake of self-directed support in Scotland. A key part of this strategy will be running test sites in three local authorities to consider how well specific interventions improve uptake. This work builds on research conducted in June 2008 which demonstrated the flexibility, choice, control and independence that self-directed support is able to offer individuals. The Scottish Government will consider further guidance, explicit target setting or legislation if they prove necessary in the longer term.

Social Services

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what targets have been agreed with COSLA or individual local authorities to develop and rollout the personalisation or self-directed support agenda.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are no targets for self-directed support. The National Performance Framework describes the national outcomes, targets and indicators agreed with COSLA.

Social Services

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to monitor the development of self-directed support.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government currently collects annual statistics from Scottish local authorities on the number of people in receipt of direct payments. The term direct payments is largely historical and focused on a system of delivery of social care rather than outcomes for individuals.

Social Services

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding has been or will be provided to local authorities to incentivise the development of the personalisation or self-directed support agenda.

Nicola Sturgeon: Local authorities’ funding has already been agreed as part of the concordat. Following agreement with COSLA, the Scottish Government will also be funding three test sites to consider how to improve the uptake of self-directed support by building on existing local authority infrastructure.